Waterfront photo highlights sad reality for Aussies: 'People will do anything'
As the federal election looms, Australia's housing crisis is at the forefront of voters' minds, with many calling for urgent action on the rising price of homes and the shortage of available properties.
In 2025, rental prices remain dizzyingly high. And although in February the national vacancy rate rose to 1.3 per cent, up from 1.0 per cent in January, they're still well below the three per cent threshold typically indicative of a balanced market.
This week in Queensland, a shocking video surfaced online, capturing an individual's camp in quite an unexpected location — on a body of water at the Gold Coast. The footage, filmed in Surfers Paradise, shows a tent suspended by rope and supported by two paddleboards, floating on the Nerang River.
It sparked widespread concern among responders, with some saying they were "struggling to process" the sad scene. "This is what the housing crisis has come to," one person replied.
"People will do anything when there is a lack of funds and care," another said. "There is no affordable housing available in this country," a third wrote.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for the City of Gold Coast council said its officers had referred the matter to the Department of Housing and local welfare services, which are equipped to provide proper support. "The City does not provide any direct housing or welfare services," they said.
Across the country, it's far from uncommon for Australians to resort to sleeping in tents — though more so on a body of water — with a lack of available resources forcing people to take drastic action.
Paul Slater, who runs the Northwest Community Group and manages a makeshift "tent city" in Musgrave Park, in Brisbane's south, said he's struggling to keep up with the enormous demand for his services.
Paul gets dozens of messages every week from those seeking help and has supplied over 500 tents to battling Australians last year alone. He said within the last couple of decades, there's been an "absolute failure on all levels of government" when it comes to social housing.
"It's clear we're in an emergency," he earlier told Yahoo. "I've got people calling me multiple times per day, sleeping on concrete with nowhere to go.
"I've got one lady... she's been searching every day for rentals. She's been to 100 inspections and can't get anywhere within her budget for her and her two children. She's not getting any support, and she has two weeks until she's homeless.
"I got a call last night from another woman out at Redcliffe who's sleeping in her car with three children, 8, 10, and 14 — three girls. She's been sleeping in her CAR."
Despite this, homeless people in Brisbane's tent cities were earlier this year given 24 hours to pack up their things and leave, amid a crackdown on temporary housing on public land.
The move was announced by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner in mid-March, stating the public had raised concerns about the safety of people sleeping on public land, particularly at Musgrave Park.
Real estate agent's 'disgusting' post highlights dark problem in Australia
Rough sleepers in tent city face uncertainty as upcoming festival threatens community
Wild weather exposes 'real problem' struggling Aussies living in tents face
The idea sparked widespread condemnation, with Gabba Ward councillor Trina Massey branding the decision "cruel and hypocritical".
"The Lord Mayor's cruel and opportunistic stance, criminalising homelessness just days after vulnerable communities were exposed to severe weather, does nothing to support those facing domestic violence, substance abuse or others falling through the cracks," she said.
And tent living is not just a Queensland issue, with similar "cities" popping up right across Australia due to a shortage of adequate accommodation.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
More superannuation changes flagged as Baby Boomers get anxious: 'Not realistic'
The government has stirred up a significant amount of controversy over its $3 million superannuation tax plan. But it appears more changes to the country's trillion-dollar retirement system are on the cards, which could make some Australians already anxious about their nest eggs even more worried. Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino has rejected the criticism thrown towards the proposal to tax super balances above $3 million at 30 per cent. He said changes like this, and others in the future, were necessary to ensure superannuation keeps pace with reality. 'I think it's not surprising that a system as large and complex as super is occasionally examined, and occasionally there are policy tweaks. We see this right across the economy,' he told the Australian Financial Review. RELATED $3,000 superannuation boost coming for Aussie parents from July 1 ATO $1,519 cash boost heading for Aussies in weeks Centrelink payment alert for 58,000 Aussies in caravans 'I don't think it's likely that superannuation is not going to be changed ever again. That's not realistic … superannuation has achieved many very strong outcomes, but that isn't to say it doesn't need to be reformed occasionally.' Despite some raising their concerns around the $3 million super tax policy, Labor is going full steam ahead with it. 'We've got a mandate for that change,' Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently said at the National Press Club.'We're not looking for opportunities to go back on the things that we have got a mandate for. We're looking for new ideas.' The government said roughly 80,000 people would be affected by the change, which taxed balances over $3 million at double the current rate. However, in its current form, that $3 million benchmark isn't indexed, and there are fears millions could be caught up in the tax in decades to come. The government hasn't ruled out indexing the benchmark in the future. As Labor mulls more changes to the system, Aussies are getting restless about their retirement savings, particularly after a fairly wild few months. Donald Trump's global tariff battle and the outbreak of fighting in the Middle East have seen the Australian and US share markets go from worrying lows to record highs, and from sudden panic to excited rejoicing. AustralianSuper found Baby Boomers were understandably the most worried about their retirement nest eggs, with 33 per cent saying they were anxious about the current market volatility. But 22 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds also had fears for their super savings. 'Our research shows 40 per cent of people believe it's better to switch their super to cash or lower-risk options during periods of market volatility and then reinvest when markets recover," Alistair Barker, AustralianSuper's Head of Asset Allocation, said. But he added that doing this could risk 'adverse long-term outcomes' due to missing market returns following downturns. Interestingly, though, 45 per cent said they would keep their investments the same even if there was a 'significant' market drop, which AustralianSuper believed reflected the 'growing awareness of super's long-term nature'. Changing your superannuation investment strategy can be done at any point in your life. But Barker said it's worth remembering that super is a long game, and if history can teach you anything, it's that the market has always bounced back from rough moments. "Someone who switched to cash as the market dropped in early April this year would have missed out on the strong recovery in later April and May,' Barker said. Before Trump's Liberation Day tariffs were announced earlier this year, the Australian stock market (ASX 200) was hitting record highs. However, it fell from a peak close of 8,555 points in mid-February to 7,343 points in April. In the US, the Nasdaq 100 hit a high of 22,175 points in mid-February and dropped to 17,090 points in April. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones had similar movements. These crashes wiped tens of thousands of dollars from Aussies' super accounts, and many feared the ASX and US markets, and their retirement savings, could fall even further. But the ASX 200 recently eclipsed that February number and recorded 8,587 points on June 10, while the Nasdaq 100 broke a new record this week with 22,190 points. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones are also just behind their all-time highs as well. Barker said the same thing happened before, during and after the Global Financial Crisis in the late 2000s and the initial onslaught of the COVID pandemic in the early 2020s. 'These fluctuations are to be expected, and over the long term, superannuation is built to weather these storms," he added. 'We're encouraging our members to focus on time in the market, not timing the market. While it's tempting to make changes when markets fall, history shows that those who stay the course tend to see stronger, longer-term results.' People worried about the future of their superannuation are encouraged to reach out to their super fund to discuss their options and what results those choices could create. What investments are right for you will depend on your personal circumstances, including your tolerance to risk and investment in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
As legislature adjourns, NC Senators give unanimous support to Stein's cabinet secretaries
Reid Wilson now has the full title of Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. (Photo: NCGA) Governor Josh Stein's key cabinet members have been on the job since January but required confirmation from the state Senate under a 2016 law to check the governor's appointment powers. And after months of multiple committee hearings, the state Senate on Thursday gave its blessing to Stein's final three cabinet secretaries for the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Adult Correction, and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Reid Wilson, who has spent the last four years leading the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, now has the full title of Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. The confirmation hearing for Wilson encountered a brief hiccup Wednesday from an angry constituent. Nelson Paul of Beaufort said the Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) recently contacted his wife and other recreational fishing license holders to encourage them to support a ban on inland shrimp trawling. 'This is a blatant political act to put the thumb on the scale to ensure shrimp trawling ban come into effect. I want to know what Mr. Wilson is doing about this? We need to know who's responsible and what is being done to discipline that employee,' said Paul. But the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is a separate state agency, distinct from NCWRC. 'Are you commenting on the nominee or are you pontificating on your stand on a particular issue?' interjected Sen. Bill Rabon. 'I have difficulty hiring blatantly environmentally proponent…people who have no business experience, just somebody who is an environmental advocate who just has no understanding of the business in the state,' Paul responded. Rabon thanked Paul for his remarks but noted everybody on the Select Committee on Nominations was comfortable moving forward with Wilson. For his part, Wilson has pledged to help Western North Carolina communities recover and rebuild from Hurricane Helene. 'Whether it is water infrastructure or waste cleanup or dam inspections or debris cleanup, we're involved in many, many ways and we're going to be at it until the job is done,' Wilson testified. Wilson said his second top priority is trying to reduce PFAS pollution, also known as 'forever chemicals' in the state's waterways. About a third of the people in North Carolina drink water with PFAS levels above what will be the EPA's health standard, according to Wilson. === Leslie Dismukes told lawmakers it has been an honor to serve the past six months as the interim Secretary of the Department of Adult Correction (DAC). Previously working as the Criminal Bureau Chief at the North Carolina Department of Justice, Dismukes wore many hats, including supervising the legal work of NCDAC. During her confirmation hearing in May, Dismukes said that the state was faced with a 40% vacancy rate for correctional officers. This week, she indicated the department was making some headway. 'We've streamlined our HR processes, added additional resources to HR in recruitment, and expanded our basic training offerings to decrease the time from offer to post. This has resulted in 250 people in basic training right now and a 1% decrease in our vacancy rates since January,' said Dismukes. In addition to recruitment, the DAC Secretary reminded legislators that the fire suppression systems at nearly two dozen prisons remain outdated or completely inoperable. 'I've raised the alarm, no pun intended, regarding the 23 prisons we currently have on fire watch and the more than $90 million that it will take to avoid grave disaster,' Dismukes warned. Dismukes said she's also empowered a new chief medical officer to move forward with critical process improvements to streamline services that achieve cost savings while maintaining the standard of care. This fiscal year, the department is projected to spend $425 million on health care. Dismukes' reality check comes as the North Carolina House and Senate have been unable to agree to a comprehensive budget plan with the fiscal year that starts July 1. === Also winning Senate confirmation Thursday was Jocelyn Mallette as Secretary of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Mallette served on active duty for ten years in the United States Air Force, as an admissions advisor at the Academy, an intelligence officer, and finally as a prosecutor in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. Mallette pledged in her new role to make the transition from military life into the civilian workforce as smoother one. 'DMVA should be leading the way to retain North Carolina's transitioning service members and families, and also to attract those who get out of the military and other states,' said Mallette. 'All of us on the federal, state, and local level need to work together to support them during the year that is referred to as 'the deadly gap.' The period during which a servicemember transitions out of active duty to civilian life can present many major life challenges. It's also a period in which the veteran suicide rate is 2.5 times higher than the rate for active-duty military. Mallette said North Carolina DMVA is actively partnering with entities like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Labor, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and nonprofits like Blue Star Families and Veterans Bridge Home to establish initiatives that more quickly connect transitioning service members to benefits, jobs, and housing upon the end of their service. More than 615,000 military veterans call North Carolina home.
The Hill
3 days ago
- The Hill
Graham overrides Paul's border wall, immigration enforcement proposal
Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has unveiled a plan to override Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) proposal to fund border security and immigration enforcement activities at roughly half the amount favored by Senate and House Republican leaders. Paul created an uproar two weeks ago when he unveiled his portion of the Trump agenda megabill that would spend $6.5 billion on completing President Trump's border wall and $22.5 billion on expanding detention facilities for migrants. Now Graham has answered with a move of his own, unveiling a proposal to restore funding for the border wall and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the full amount envisioned by GOP leaders when they passed a blueprint for the bill earlier this year. 'As Budget Chairman, I will do my best to ensure that the President's border security plan is fully funded because I believe it has been fully justified,' Graham said in a statement accompanying the release of his legislative text. 'The president promised to secure our border. His plan fulfills that promise. The Senate must do our part and past his bill,' he said. Graham would provide Customs and Border Patrol $46.5 billion to build the border wall and related infrastructure such as access roads, cameras, lights and sensors. Paul, by contrast, provided $6.5 billion for completion of the wall, telling colleagues that's the amount that Customs and Border Patrol estimated on its website the construction would cost. 'The wall, if you look at the [Customs and Border Protection] website — until they removed it yesterday — they said it would cost $6.5 million per mile' to build the border wall, Paul told reporters earlier this month. 'If you add that up for about 1,000 miles that's $6.5 billion. They asked for $46.5 billion so they got a math problem,' he added. 'Instead of addressing the math problem, CBP took that off their website two days ago.' Graham's 'updated Senate Homeland Security Title' would also provide $45 billion for the detention of aliens ICE has taken into custody. That's substantially more than the $22.5 billion that Paul's legislative text allocated for expanding detention capacity.
